Martin's response comes after he was ridiculed last night on MSNBC's Hardballwith Chris Matthews. (View clip here.) According to Martin, Carnahan's "limousine liberals" are just trying to "marginalize normal Americans" and skew "common concerns" (like his) as "crazy, zealous and dangerous." Ahem.

Following is Martin's statement, which contains at least a dozen charges that could leave you wondering exactly who is crazy, zealous and/or dangerous.

Earlier this week, I did an interview on a local radio station. In the course of the interview, I was asked about my faith and about what the importance I put on this upcoming election. I answered that this election is an intersection election and I am deeply concerned that, left unabated,the current trends against freedom will force religion from the public square.

I believe this and said that the rapid and thorough encroachment on our liberties by President Obama and the Pelosi-Carnahan Congress is disturbing. I believe religious liberties are in peril as well and said as much.

The left went nuts, gleefully declaring that I said Carnahan wants to keep people out of heaven. Carnahan piled on, proclaiming I had stepped over the line. The topper was hearing my own voice on the Chris Mathews show. You know you made the big time when you get called down by Chris Mathews on MSNBC and are held up for ridicule to dozens of people nationwide.

I stand by what I said. I am not running for an ecclesiastical office, but my faith very much informs my thinking, and like millions of people who have a faith, I try to maintain an eternal perspective. All liberties are under assault these days, and the fact that religious liberty is currently being nibbled on while others are being consumed changes nothing. Russ Carnahan, Nancy Pelosi and President Obama are contemptuous of liberty as we know it. They are hostile to anyone who does not first kneel before Big Government. Their vision is a society in which Washington insiders pick winners and losers. Carnahan's family is already 90 million dollars richer from this system, and it is only going to get worse.

Generations not yet born will begin life tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Any encroachment on liberty impedes human potential, depriving them of opportunities, including the pursuit of faith.

Russ Carnahan can call upon his limousine liberal friends to try to do what they have been trying to do for months - marginalize normal Americans. Their goal is to saturate our culture with the notion that common concerns and sentiments are crazy, zealous and dangerous. They hope to paint people like us as a threat even as they erode our precious freedoms one 2000 page bill at a time.

We can fight them and win. With your help, we can marshal the resources to keep pace with Russ Carnahan's big money friends and associates in the media.

Our campaign is not being financed by Washington insiders. We have dozens of volunteers working to spread the word. We still need monetary contributions to keep these good people equipped. Any amount, $25, $50, or $100 will help us provide the literature and other items needed to get the message out that the 3rd district wants responsible representation.

Some of you are able to make a special sacrifice and provide the maximum of $4800, $2400 for the primary and $2400 for the general. We need your help for August and beyond.